Eating our way around Florence

Yesterday we landed back in England after a much-needed long weekend away. The gap between our last trip and this one has been the longest Ev and I have ever gone without a holiday abroad just the two of us, covid combined with us both changing jobs, running our home and of course our new kitten, it kept feeling further and further out of reach but at last, we made some time.

The main dramas this time happened before we even left the house, firstly two weeks before we were due to go my bank card was defrauded, someone used my details to buy flights to Gibraltar (!!), so my obvious reaction was to cancel my card. However, as my card was used to hold our room reservation the hotel instantly cancelled us, and we were left roomless for one of the most booked times of year; Valentine’s. I tried to re-book but the price had increased, making it out of reach. We debated just flying out and finding a room but on a budget and in a high season we couldn’t see it ending well. Thankfully, we were able to book a last-minute room at Hotel Pierre, a perfect hotel right in the centre of the city for not too much more than our desired spend.

This is our third travel abroad since the pandemic began but yet we were, or rather I was, ridiculously under-prepared for all the hoop-jumping precautions. The day before I spent getting boostered, slightly earlier than the required twenty-eight days after covid, form-filling, and paying ridiculous amounts for an “air-line approved” LFT test. It all would have been worth it if anyone had looked; we travelled from Southend to Florence and without anyone checking more than our passports! However, the following days required us to provide evidence of boosters in almost all restaurants so the dead arm weighing down the start of the trip was worth it.  Italy is running on a green card system, so in all public spaces you are required to show evidence of your vaccination, and the most recent had to have been in the last one-hundred-and-eighty days, hence my premature booster.  With all the mind fog of covid box-ticking, I stupidly let myself be scammed into paying for cabin luggage (?!), why I did that is completely beyond me and yet again was something that no one checked.

So, over a hundred pounds down we finally arrived…

The city was beautiful, intricate cobbled streets lined with designer shops and orange-lit ambient restaurants, we were in a movie. A chic, tantalising, romantic movie. Unlike other cities there was hardly a fast-food chain insight, I think in our four days of constant walking we spotted one, home-cooked Italian restaurants, partnered independent shops really made us feel like we were somewhere new.  Awe-struck we walked for miles that first day taking it all in, and snacking about the city. We unintentionally began a food sharing pattern that lasted the duration, and one I would fully recommend. All but one evening, Valentine’s, we didn’t order more than one dish at each restaurant/ bar/ street vendor, and shared everything before moving on to try more local delicacies.  Definitely not a budget way to taste the city but we all know by now that our travel spending is not sensible, so why change?

Before we knew it we had sampled local treats, such as burrata cheese with pizza dough and prosciutto, Tuscan bruschetta canapés, and of course copious wines. It didn’t take long for our excitement to flourish into old habits and we were laughing chaotically as we strolled from bar to bar.  Quite differently to our previous city breaks we were back at the hotel and cosy in our huge bed by ten o’clock! Florence wasn’t a big party city and we had been on the move since five-am so by the time we went home the city mirrored the end of the night feel that we did.  However, the early to sleep meant I woke up at four-am ready to begin day two. 

Much in the way a snoozing parents waves away their infant child Ev encouraged me back to sleep for as long as possible until finally at eight we arose and dined lightly at the hotel breakfast, readying ourselves to snack around the city again. We had no real plans so wandered lazily across the Ponte Vecchio Bridge, dog-spotting, taste-testing more bruschetta and cheeses, until we decided to stop down a quaint peaceful street and drank beers as hours and many interesting sites rolled by. We laughed, chatted, made plans, and discussed politics with the friendly owner. As we soaked in some light sun I completely switched off from the rest of the world, something my anxious self-critical mind needs more of.

After a relaxed loving break, we tore ourselves back into the city and followed a recommendation to Mercato Centrale for lunch. The contrast from our serene spot to the echoey bustling market was intense, going from a few passer-bys to uncomfortably weaving out of the way through the billowing crowd was a shock to our beer-dizzied brains.  Concentrated busyness aside, the pizza was incredible and a fraction of the price it would have been in a restaurant, so well worth a visit. We ogled at other stalls too but decided the hunting for a seat wouldn’t be ideal with a T-bone steak. If we had visited at a less busy time of day, rather than flocking at mid-day with the masses, I think we would have dined further but we ate our pizza and continued adventuring.  

We decided to spend the rest of the hopping from square to square, sampling more food, clams, cheese, and most frequently cocktails. Unfortunately, this led to bad decision making and a bone-scrapingly cringe-worthy lesson learnt, so awful my teeth clenching as I remember it.

We were a few cocktails in at a new hot-spot with friendly staff and I was enraged. I had visited the toilet and was adamant there was a camera pointed right at me so sassily strutted back outside to Ev and informed I am not paying this establishment as they are spying on people in the toilet. He mirrored my anger and went to check it out, only to come back and informed me it wasn’t a camera (obviously) just a sensor.  However, we acted stupidly and consequently paid the price. But I am saving that deathly embarrassing story for another day....

Yet again, we made it back and home to bed by ten and were up bright and early the next day for relaxed rainy Valentine’s day. We started the day by strolling to Duomo in the rain and joining an already extensive que. The architecture in Florence is so astounding and we were keen to view from the inside, normally we are que and crowd avoidant but this was worth it.  The internal domed ceiling was painted with such a phenomenal perspective that it was hard to comprehend. The quietness of religious buildings always holds a thick poignancy that I am unsure if I find it unsettling or enlivening, but it is definitely moving.

Our Valentine’s was perfect. We sauntered about drinking, eating, and admiring the beauty around us. Food, fashion, and history all tied up in a stylish bow, an impeccable setting for a romantic meal. Mussels, steak, pasta and wine all gorged under overhead heaters as we watched the world go by and talked endlessly. Utterly perfect.

Our final day was welcomed with a fire alarm over breakfast, quite unbearable for our hungover heads but we ate lightly and began our westward journey to Pisa for a trip to the Leaning Tower, our last meal and our departing flight. We skipped along rain dropped cobbled streets our bag's wheels clacking behind us smiling from ear to ear.

I felt amazing that day, yesterday, refreshed and refuelled like I could take on the world. Sometimes all you need is a few days with your person, switching off from everything else.  My mind is more settled, and I feel I’ve had a real break. A lot less drama than our usual travels, and a lot more food!  What more could you want?